National University grad Karen Selph ('03) was recently featured
on a local television news segment on bringing the benefits of
massage therapy to severely ill children. Karen works as a massage
therapist at Maryville's Children's Healthcare Center in
Chicago.

Karen is just one of our grads who are
taking advantage of new applications for massage in an integrative
medicine environment.

One fantastic career
opportunity for massage therapists is to work for a chiropractic
physician. DCs (doctors of chiropractic) love to offer patients the
option of massage therapy as a beneficial addition to their
treatment plan. Having a part-time massage therapist on-site as
part of their practice makes this easy and financially rewarding
for the DC as well as for the massage therapist.

The "Massage Book" blog has a great article called "How to Partner with a
Chiropractor". Many National University massage graduates
choose this option as either the focus of their career, or as a
part-time option in addition to a small practice of their own.
Here are more recommendations from an MT who works in a
chiropractic office.

If you want to work with DCs or other medical professionals,
there are many advantages in choosing National University for your
massage therapy education:

You'll be studying on a campus that also has students in
chiropractic medicine, naturopathic medicine, acupuncture and
oriental medicine degree programs.

In addition to seasoned massage professionals, many of your
instructors will also be chiropractic physicians.

You'll serve your clinical internship in our integrative
medical clinic, working alongside students and clinicians from our
various medical specialties.

You'll often treat clients who are patients of our clinic, and
get accustomed to working with treatment recommendations prepared
by chiropractic physicians.

Massage therapy is a field where person-to-person contact is
essential, but it isn't limited to the massage itself. That contact
happens from the minute the client phones for their first
appointment, when the therapist greets them at their session, and
how a therapist handles client questions throughout and after the
massage. Good communication skills are paramount to creating a
positive massage experience for the client and ultimately a
successful career for the therapist.

That's why National University is proud that several of its
staff and faculty recently attended courses on building
communication skills in massage students. Associated Bodywork and
Massage Professionals (ABMP) sponsored the workshop as part of
its "Instructor on the Front Lines" program.

"We explored topics such as communication styles, avoiding
communication blockers, and the importance of developing active
communication skills," says NUHS instructor
Candy Washington. "For example, some students are so accustomed
to texting as their main communication vehicle, they might forget
the importance of making eye contact with their clients."

"I really enjoyed the workshop on teaching methods where we
learned about story-telling and role-playing in the massage
classroom," Candy adds. "I can't wait to try role-playing in my
next class!"

"Teaching our students to be better communicators will help them
forge better relationships both with future clients and other
health care providers, potentially building better inter-referral
networks. Better communication training is a great investment we
can bring back to our classrooms."

Last
night's Massage Therapy
Information Night highlighted a visit from our alumnus, Peg
Ortega. Peg treated the guests to an interactive demonstration of
several massage techniques used by therapists. Each guest followed
Peg's lead and performed the techniques on their own arms. This was
a great way for future students to experience the sensations and
benefits of just a few of the techniques they will be learning in
the future.

Using the cadaver, Matt pointed out how successful massage can
be in treating afflictions such as carpel tunnel syndrome and
frozen shoulders. By trying a less intrusive option, some clients
realize relief and can avoid surgery.

Dr. Randy Swenson, vice president for academic services,
finished the evening with an overview of the curriculum. He
pointed out the importance of learning anatomy as a foundation, a
variety of techniques to make a well-rounded therapist, and the
business elements National includes in its program to produce a
confident professional.